Associate Animal Care Technician

Role Summary:

The Associate Animal Care Technician assists with the oversight of the day-to-day operations of all animal care, husbandry, and in vivo research support activities.  They assist with handling and procedures as required for research studies while ensuring a humane and ethical environment. The role also involves maintaining facility cleanliness, following biosecurity protocols, and collaborating with veterinary and research staff to support scientific objectives. Attention to detail, adherence to animal welfare guidelines, and knowledge of laboratory animal care regulations (e.g., IACUC) are essential.

This role is based in Waltham, MA without the possibility of being remote.

Primary Responsibilities Include:

• Performs all assigned technical and procedural duties in support of research efforts
• Assist with all study scheduling and procedural area preparation
• Independently perform in vivo research activities in compliance with IACUC-approved protocols and standard operating procedures
• Collect, document, and manage study data
• Perform various routes of agent administration (especially lateral tail vein IV), collection of biofluids and tissues, observation and reporting of behavioral studies
• Perform routine husbandry tasks for resident colony
• Provide daily monitoring of resident colony health
• Provide prescribed care and treatment to affected study animals
• Maintenance of accurate critical records
• Assist in the general upkeep, maintenance, and sanitization of physical plant
• Assist with ordering, receipt, and stocking of all supply inventories
• Evaluate all incoming orders for accuracy
• Assist with ensuring departmental and regulatory compliance & training, including hands-on technical and procedural training
• Verify proper formulation of solutions for dosing in compliance with all internal guidelines and policies
• Understand and ensure compliance with IACUC approved protocols, policies, guidelines, and standard operating procedures

Education and Skills Requirements:

• 1-3 years of experience working with rodents in a research facility
• Must be reliable, able to work well independently, and able to self-organize and self-motivate to plan and execute daily tasks in a timely manner
• Must be willing to participate in a dynamic, fast-paced team environment, while demonstrating a focus on individual accountability for attention to detail in delivering quality and consistent results in the execution of all duties
• Have a strong interpersonal verbal and written communication skills
• AALAS certification at ALAT level preferred, or willingness to seek such training and certification within one year
• Experience with husbandry tasks and monitoring of animals and identification of abnormalities and/or common health issues
• Experience with rodent biofluid, tissue and organ collection
• Experience with rodent breeding: monitoring colony population, weaning, tissue sampling, identification of pups
• Expert proficiency in technical skills to include handling and restraint of rodents, routes of agent administration in rodents (IV, IP, IG, SC, PO, IM)
• Have a strong commitment to providing qualify research service support and dedicated to providing humane animal care
• Must be able to lift and physically move up to 50 pounds
• Must be able to work from a standing position for prolonged time periods and perform repetitive motion tasks
• Maintain positive work atmosphere by behaving and communicating in a professional manner with coworkers, research staff, managers, and leadership
• Possess competency in the use of Microsoft Office for the use of communication and data entry (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Must be willing and available to support any weekend, holiday, emergency, and off-hours operational responsibilities

#LI-Onsite